When it comes to mainstream sports, which one of these doesn’t belong? Before 2012, you’d have said Rousey, of course. But this past year, not only did the first female fighter in UFC history break through in the MMA world, but she broke through into the mainstream consciousness, as well.

The latest evidence of Rousey’s rising star comes in the form of a spot on Sports Illustrated’s 2012 list of most memorable sports moments.

Rousey came in at No. 65 on SI’s list of what it calls “the most mind-blowing, record-breaking, earth-shattering, mystifying, seriously sublime sports moments, memes and memories” of the year.

Rousey, of course, is the UFC’s first women’s bantamweight champion, sliding over to the promotion from Strikeforce, where she won the 135-pound title in March, then defended it in August. All the wins in the Judo Olympic medalist’s MMA career have come by first-round armbar. She’ll fight for the first time in the UFC in February when she headlines the UFC 157 pay-per-view in Anaheim, Calif., against Liz Carmouche.

“She’s the biggest rising star in women’s mixed martial arts, if not the sport as a whole,” Sports Illustrated wrote of the Californian. “Ronda Rousey’s rise has been meteoric. In just nine fights (both professional and amateur) – all first-round victories by arm bar – Rousey has become an MMA sensation. … The UFC is banking heavily on Rousey.”

The mention is just the latest for Rousey, whose accolades this year have included the cover of ESPN The Magazine’s “Body Issue,” a multi-page story in Sports Illustrated, the back cover of UFC Magazine, a record four World MMA Award nominations, a Showtime “All Access” special, a guest-host slot on TMZ, appeared on Conan O’Brien’s show, had a spot on AskMen.com’s list of 99 Most Desirable Women for 2013, coming in at No. 43, and caused a stir on “Jim Rome on Showtime” when she talked about her pre-fight sex habits.

And all this before she fights for the first time in the UFC. We should know in less than months just how big Rousey might be in 2013 when promotion for her headlining fight against Carmouhce really heats up.

A total of 26 fighters got their chance to shine on Saturday as part of UFC 190 at Rio de Janeiro’s HSBC Arena. Now that UFC 190 is in the books, it’s time to commence MMAjunkie’s “Three Stars” ceremony.

The man known for cranking submissions to the point of injury added eye-gouging to his repertoire. But is the controversy of Rousimar Palhares too essential to his bizarre, awful appeal for his employers to take any meaningful action against him?